Metal-plate-flanging machine



Oct. 29, 1929. v. c. NoRQUlsT METAL PLATE FLANGING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet` Oct. 29, 1929. v. c. NORQUIST METAL PLATE FLANGING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 METAL PLATE FLANGING MACHINE Patented ct. 29, 1,929

VICTOR C. OtUIST, OF KANSAS C'i'l, l'MIIISSOUER/1f v METAL-PLATE-FLANGING MACHINE Application tiled June 21,1926.

lThis invention relates to metal plate flanging,` machines and more especially to machines for flanging circular plates to be used as tank bottoms and the like, and -iny object is to produce a flangi-ng machine adjustable for flangplates of different .thickness and diameter and adapted 'for turning trie flanges to stand at different angles with respect to the plane of the body of the plates without appreciably distorting such body or the flanges as to gage or thickness and hence without weakening the metal at the 'bending points. i further V,object-V is to produce a machine of this character in which the plate is preferably revolved on the application of automatic power, andby which the bearing` of the flanges will be accomplished through the application of manual or other power.

.movement thereon.

l WV ith these generalobjects in view the invention Vconsists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it maybe fully understood, reference isvto behad to the accompanying l drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side viewof a machine ein bodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a yplan View of the same.

`Figure 3 is a section on the line Ill-lll of Figure 2. A

Referringl to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a trackway or pair of parallel rails suitably anchored, and mounted upon-said rails and centrally thereof is a post 2 forming a vin forming` a central pivotfor a circular plate 8 to be flanged, the pin 7.being formed on the end of a manuallyeoperable bolt v9 whereby the plate can be clamped firmly between the Serial No. 117,399.

centering; pins to guard against slippage of the former.

Mounted upon the rails or trackway is a power element for imparting rotation to the plate 8. Itis constructed as follows: 10 indicates a channel plate mounted direct-ly on the rails 1, 11 a pair of angle plates secured to and rising from the opposite sides of plate 10, 12 a pair of anglezplates mounted upon plates 11, and 13 a top or bridge plate connecting' the opposite ends of the plates 12 thelatter in their edges facing Vthe adjustable Vyoke l, being provided with notches or slots' 14 for the accommodation or reception of theplate 8, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3.

A feed roller 15 Vunderlying and engaging the plate 8, is jo'urnalled upon ia stub shaft 16 mounted in a bearing block 17 rigidly stationed between plates 12 below the slots 14. An upper feed and clamping roller 18 engages plate 8 vertically above roller'l for applying the powei1 necessary to rotatesaid plate 8, and the roller is secured rigidly on a shaft 19 journaled in a bearing block 2O vertically adjustable between the plates 12, by means of a pair of bolts 21-22, suitably swivelled to said bearing block and connected together above the top or bridge plate 13 by a train of vgearing` 23,'one of the adjusting bolts being provided with a hand wheel 24'for effecting U operation of both bolts and the necessary vertical adjustment ofthe block 20, which block is provided at itseopposite sides with guide ribs4 25, engaging guide grooves 26 in the inner sides of the lplates12.

The shaft 16 is equipped at its outer end with a large rear wheel 27 meshing Ywith a drive pinion 28 on a yshaft, 29 4driven by any suitable power, not shown, vfor the purpose of operating` the feed rollers and effecting the rotation ofthe plate 8.

The mechanism for turning the marginal portion of Ythe ,plate vto form a circular upstandingflangeisasfollows: Apairofparallel plates 30 extend in a direction approximately radial to 'the axis of a plate 8 of what may be considered thestandard size. Vhen a plate of smaller size is -to beffianged, the yoke 4 is adjusted toward the feed Lrollers the requisite distance and in this case the plates 30 extend in a direction or plane which intersects the plate 8 at one side of its axis, as shown in Figure 2. If the plate 8 to be flanged is of oversize, the yoke 4 is adjusted away from the feed rollers, and in this event the plane of the direction of the plates or one of them, will intersect plate 8 at the opposite sides of its axis, it being understood' that the plate 8, whatever its size, will always lie between and project beyond the feed rollers for rotation thereby and for the upturning of the marginal flange, the slots 14 and the spacing of the blocks 17 and 2O accommodating the flange.

rEhe plates 30 are bolted to any suitable underlying support, and overlying the foot flange 31 of one of them, is an angle bracket 32 provided with an upstanding sleeve 33 in which fits a post 34 provided with a roller 35 engaging the underside of the plate 8 to form a marginal support therefor, a screw jack 36 providing an adjustable rest for the post, and a set screw 37 a means for securing the post against turning movement. A bending roller .38 between the feed rollers 15 and roller 35, is journaled on a stub-shaft 39 secured in an internal web 40 of a toothed sector or rack-bar 41, fitting between plates 30 and provided with side tongues 42 engaging grooves 43 in said plates, the axis of the sector being coincidental with the intersection point of the top of roller 38 with the face of the latter nearest the axis'of the plate 8, as at such point the bending of the latter plate is to occur. To effect the upward movement of the roller around the bending point as the axis thereof, a gear pinion 44 meshes with the sector and is mounted on a shaft 45 journalled in plates 30, and said shaft carries a gear .wheel 46 meshing with a gear pinion 47 on shaft 48, operable by a crank 49 or other means.

An abutment or anvil upon which the flanges can be formed consists of a roller 50 arranged with its perimeter against the upper side of the plate 8 adjacent the axis around which the roller 38 turns. The roller is journaled on and supported by pin 52, de-

. pending from the crank arm 53 of a shaft 54 journaled in a bearing 55. rllhe shaft 54 has a socket 56 in its upper end, receiving the lower end of a screw 57 mounted in the bearing and provided with a groove 58 engaged by a cap 59 threaded to.' shaft 54, the Vconnection between the bolt and shaft being a swivel one to permit of vertical adjustmentl of the roller 50 without turning movement of the crank, it being practicable to readily turn the latter by a handle 53, to such position toward the yoke that the flanged plate can be withdrawn to a point beyond the feed rollers, it being appparent of course that the roller 18 must first be raised high enough for the flange of the plate to pass below it.

To provide for the free revolution of the abutment roller, a ball bearing V`is employed, consisting of the roller, a cap member a and a series of interposed balls 56a, the cap member being rigidly mounted on the pin 52. The handle 53 notonly enables the crank to be disposed for the convenient withdrawal of the plate Awhen flanged as above explained, but also permits the operator to hold the crank shaft against accidental turning during the bending operation.

lTo secure a sharp bend it is essential that the roller makes Contact with the plate. To accomplish this without applying unnecessary friction, the roller is tilted slightly as indicated in Figure 1, the tilting being accomplished preferably by tilting the bearing 55 carrying the crank shaft and its adjusting screw. To provide for tilting adjustnient, the bearing has side flanges 60 secured by cap screws 61 to vertical blocks 62 secured to angle plates 63 carried by the plates 30, by cap screws 64, and mounted in the angle plates and blocks and bearing against the flanges of the bearing 55 above and below the horizontal center thereof are thrust screws 65. By advancing .the upper and withdrawing the lower thrust screw,the bearing can be so adjusted as t'o slightly tilt the abutment roller 50 as shown, and leave it free to turn with the plate 8 as the bending operation occurs.

Assuming the parts are as disclosed by Figure 1, and that the plate 8 is being rotated by the feed rollers 15 and '18, the person in control manipulates the crank 49 and thereby rotates the sector upwardly to cause the flanging roller 38 to rise pivotally and bend the marginal portion of the plate 8 upwardly, this action continuing if desired until the flange is pressed flatly against the opposing face of the abutment roller. The rapidity of the operation is controlled by the manipulator of the crank 49,k and requires at least one complete rotation of the plate 8. If the plate is of relatively heavy gage, it may describe several revolutions before the flange is bent to the desired angle.

After the plate has been properly flanged, the abutment roller is shifted toward the yoke as explained, preliminary to the removal of the plate 8 and the feed roller 18 is of course raised to permit the plate to be shifted horizontally in the yoke after the screw 9 is manipulated to release it. If the plate 8 is of such diameter that it cannot be shifted sidewise sufliciently to withdraw it, and the yoke prevents suflicient movement longitudinally for the purpose, the screw can be Operated to effect travel of the yoke on the trackway away from the flangingT mechanism to provide space for the withdrawal of the plate.

From the above description, it `will be apparent that I have produced a circular plate tlanging machine embodying the features of advantage pointed out as desirable, and while I have described and; claimed the preferred embodiment of the invention, itis to beun',- derstood that I reserve the right to make all changes fallingwithin the spirit. and. scope of the appended-claims.-

I claim j 1. In a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller engaging one face ofA the plate at the line Where the'be-ndis to be produced, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite face of the plate, outward of.. said,- line, a toothed sector carrying;4 the Hangingvr roller, means to rotate said secton to cause'the Hanging-roller to bend the plate against the proximate face of the abutment roller, drivingmeans engaging; the plate outward of its center to effect rotation of: said plate and means for shiftingthe abutment roller inwardly of the plate to permit the latter to be shifted? to cause is-Hange to approach the shifted abutment roller to disengage said plate-from the driving means.y

2. n a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller engaging one face of the plate at the line Where the bend is to be produced, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite face of the plate outward of said line, a toothed sector carrying the Hanging roller, means to rotate said sector to cause the Hanging roller to bend the plate against the proximate face of the abutment roller, means for shifting the abutment roller inwardly of the plate to permit the latter to be shifted to cause its Hange to approach the shifted abutment roller, a pair of feed rollers engaging opposite faces of the plate, and means to Withdraw from the face of the plate the feed roller at the side thereof toward Which the flange is turned a distance exceeding the height of such flange.

3. In a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller engaging one face of the plate at the line Where the bend is to be produced and having its axis tilted slightly from the Vertical with respect to the surface of a plate to be flanged and radially adjustable toward and from the periphery of said plate, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite face of the plate outward of said line, means to effect pivotal operation of the Hanging roller on an axis coincidental with the bending line and toward the opposing side of the abutment roller, and means for holding the abutment roller tilted downward and outward toward the axial point of the Hanging roller movement and for advancing and retracting said roller toward and from the plate to be Hanged.

4. In a plate Hanging machine, an axial support for a circular plate to be marginally Hanged, feed rollers engaging opposite faces of the plate to turn the same, one of them adjustable toward and from the plate, an abutment roller engaging the same face of the plate as the adjustable feed roller, a shaft provided with a crank carrying 'the abutment roller, aHangingroller engaging the opposite side-of theplate from the abutment roller and. outward of the latter, andl means for effecting pivotal operation of the Hanging roller on an axis adjacent the point of contact of the abutment roller'with the plate.

5. In a plate Hanging' machine, an axial support. for av circular plate to be marginally Hanged, feed rollers-engaging opposite faces of the plate to turn the same, one of them adjustable toward and from the plate, an abutment roller engaging thel same face of the plate as the adjustable feed roller, a shaft provided With a crank carrying the abutment roller, a Hangingroller engaging the oppositeside of the plate from the abutment roller and out-Ward of the latter, means for effectingA pivotal operationy of the Hanging roller on. an axisadjacent the point of contact. of thefabutment roller Withtheplateand means for effecting verticalladjustment of the abutment roller. 1

6. .In a plate Hanging) machine, an' axial support' for a circular plate to be marginally flanged, feed rollers engaging,l opposite faces of the plate to turn the same, one of them adjustable toward and from the-plate, an abutment roller engaging-the same face ofthe platevas the adjustable feed roller, ashaft provided-with a crankcanrying the-abutment roller, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite side of the plate from the abutmentroller and/outWa-rdof the'latter, meansfor effecting pivotalioperation of the Hangingroller on an axis adjacent the point of contact of the abutment roller withl the plate,- and a handle to operate the crank( shaft when the Hanging operation is complete or to hold itagainst (,peration dur-ing the Hanging operation.

7' A plate Hanging machine, comprising a yoke-for initially'supporting' a pla-te for. rotation, feed. rollers for.' rotating the plate, a roller. 'for engaging the underside of the plate near its perimeter, an abutment roller overlying the plate and engaging the same at the point Where the Hange is to be turned, a bending roller underlying the plate, and means to pivotally operate the bending roller on an axis-contiguous to the point Where the abut-- ment roller engages the plate.

8; A plate Hanging machine, comprising a yoke for initially supporting a plate for rotation-v feed rollers fory rotating the plate, a roller for engaging the underside of the plate near its perimeter, an abutment rolleroverlying the plate and-engaging the same atthe point Where the. Hange is to be turned, abending roller underlying the plate, and means to pivotally operate the bendingl rolleron an axis-contiguous to the. point Where the abutment roller engages-the plate, the yoke being adjustable towardand from the feed rollers and bending and abutmentrollers.

9; In a plate Hanging machine, a rotatable Y duced and having its axis at substantially right angles to the surface of the plate said axis being offset as regards the axis ot the plate, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite tace of the plate outward ot said line, means to rotate said Hanging roller to bend the plate'against the proximate face of the abutment roller, and means to advance and retract said abutment roller toward and from the surface of the plate in a line coinciding with its axis of rotation. l

10, In a plate Hanging machine, a rotatable abutment. roller engaging one face ot the plate at a line Where the bend is to be produced and having its axis at substantially a right angle vto the surface orn the plate, a Hanging roller engaging the opposite tace ot the plate outward oi said line, means to rotate said Hanging roller to bend the plate against the proximate face of the abutment roller, means to advance and retract said abutment roller in a line coinciding with its axis of rotation, and means to move the abutment roller toward and from the perimeter of the plate.

ll. In a circular plate Hanging machine, a trame for holding a plate for rotation on its center, a separate frame, means carried by said separate frame for imparting rotation to the plate, and means `tor Hanging the periphery of the plate. Y

12. In a circular plate Hanging machine, a frame for holding a plate for rotation on its center, a separate frame, a pair of rollers carried by said separate frame and adapted to impart rotation to the plate, and means for Hanging the periphery ot' the plate.

13. yIn a plate Hanging machine, a support adapted to hold a plate for axial rotation, means adapted to engage the plate adjacent the periphery thereof for veHecting rotation of said plate, an abutment roller adapted to engage the plate and movable toward and from the axis thereof, and a Hanging roller in opposition to said abutment roller.

la. In a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller engaging one tace of a'rotating plate to be Hanged, a second roller in Contact with, the opposite tace of said plate and in opposition to said abutment roller an arcuate guide, a sector mounted tor movement on said arcuatev guide, a Hanging roller carried by said sector, and means for moving said sector on said guide.

15. In a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller engaging one tace of a plate to be Hanged, an arcuate guide, a sector mounted ior movement on said arcuate guide, a Hanging roller carried by said sector, means for moving said sector on said guide, and means engaging the periphery of the plate to effect rotation thereof.

16. In a plate Hanging machine, an'abut- .sector on said guide.

17. In a plate Hanging machine, an abutment roller for engaging one face of a rotating plate to be Hanged, a second roller in Contact with the'opposite face of said plate and in opposition to said abutment roller, an arcuate guide, a sector mounted forV movement on said arcuate guide, a Hanging roller carried by said sector, means for moving said sector on said guide, and means for moving the abutment roller perpendicularly toward and from the plane of the body of the plate to be Hanged.

In Witness whereof I hereunto aiHx my signature. V Y

VICTOR C. NORQUIST. 

